Fourteen newborn babies were killed after a fire broke out in the maternity unit of a major hospital in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, with witnesses alleging that rescue efforts were delayed and that access to the ward was obstructed.
The blaze began shortly after dawn on Wednesday in an air-conditioning unit on the third floor of the mother and child unit at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, or PIMS. Fifteen babies were in the ward at the time, and only one survived, according to the report.
Parents and other witnesses described scenes of confusion as smoke spread through the building. Hivsa Walid, who was near the ward with a sister-in-law who had given birth days earlier, said they fled carrying the newborn baby and left their belongings behind. She said some patients had delivered babies that same night.
Several people raised concerns about the hospital’s fire precautions. Walid said there should have been extinguishers and safety procedures, but said people were instead running from the scene. The father of one of the babies who died told Reuters that the building lacked fire safety measures and proper exits.
Conflicting accounts of access and emergency response
Jaweria, the mother of another baby who died, told AFP that the maternity ward door was locked and that she waited for help. Another unnamed witness said people had to force the door open, while rescue workers broke windows in an effort to tackle the fire.
Abdul Ghafoor told AFP he tried to enter the building to help patients but could not reach the maternity ward because of thick black smoke. He said rescue teams arrived almost two hours later. However, Islamabad Chief Commissioner Sohail Ashraf said, according to AFP, that teams reached the hospital immediately after the emergency call.
PIMS executive director Rana Imran Sikander disputed the claim that the ward door was locked. He told the BBC it was staffed by security guards, saying the arrangement was intended to prevent baby thefts, which he said had occurred previously at government hospitals.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed sorrow and regret over the deaths and ordered an immediate investigation, according to his office. He also suspended Federal Health Secretary Aslam Ghauri. PIMS is among Islamabad’s largest hospitals, and its maternal and child health unit has 156 beds.
Source: BBC News
